Hello, I'm a UK larper and I am considering attending conquest this year.

If I dont end up finding a UK group that is planning on going together I may be in the difficult position of travelling alone via airplane which would make transporting a tent a real chore. I'm prepared to live pretty rough IC but I am unsure what the weather will be like, or what the rules at the event would be trying to find a spare space to sleep.

A very decent man I know runs a larp inn at events in the UK, basically you rent space in one of his many tents, but he isn't going to conquest. I dont suppose there is anything similar available at conquest is there?

Hello

there was an Inn a few years ago but at the moment there aren´t any informations about that (or anything else).
Maybe you should ask some people at the camp you choosed for a little place in a tent. I think there could be one nice person which got some space for another Larper.

Hi RW1,

there are some possibilities:

Try it in the "Marketplace" Forum Part:

viewforum.php?f=41

Foren-Übersicht » Live Adventure » Live Adventure - Allgemeine Foren » Marktplatz

You can ask in english language, since nearly all players do understand this. If someone has a spare place to sleep in his tent. If you get an answer, negotiate with him in private about it and then you can join his camp.

Btw: It is absolutely no problem to switch camps for single persons. You dont need even to notice somebody. Means: If you, as example, booked a place in the Firecamp in advance and find a sleeping place in the Aircamp - take it ;o).

And then... maybe you could visit the UK Larper Website of "Rule7". People from there visited Mythodea already and are actually gathering: http://forums.rule7.co.uk/Topic114530-9-1.aspx

Danke. I appreciate your help, and regret my limited german. I'm actually known as Rickabod over on Rule 7, so that's me trying to find UK larpers to come with me.

The more research I do, the more impressed I am with conquest. I'm really looking forward to the possibility of attending, although I am still waiting for work to authorise my leave request. I've looked at train tickets, airline tickets and driving my own car. Flying seems the most economical and practical.

If I dont manage to get together with a UK group, I think I will do what I have done at just about every larp fest I have attended over the years, wander around as a lone adventurer looking for fame, fortune and adventure (or worst case scenario a merc looking for work)! Even with my limited german I'm not afraid to talk to folks and tend to be a plot magnet so I dont expect to get bored.

I had hoped there would be an inn or something I could rent a bed space in somewhere in the city but guess that's not the case. In the past I have also been known to spend a lot of time with event traders, helping out in exchange for space to sleep in one of their tents at some of the UK events. Not sure thats so practical here because I wont know any of the traders.

So, I'll take your advice and see how things go. I need to decide on a camp it seems.

Just out of curiosity, is there any IC way of dealing with speaking english rather than german or is it all considered OOC and IC we all speak the same language?

Since to my mind it would be extremely annoying having to "ignore" foreign players because my character is not able to communicate in other languages than his own, I'd either justify it by saying he IS able to speak more than one language (it takes quite some time to travel to Mythodea, if I got that right, so you have plenty of time to learn other languages), or simply handle it the way you suggested; ignore the fact that you don't speak your fellow players' language but pretend you did.

Quite a good question, to be honest ^^
On the one hand, getting another player to play the role of a "professional" translator - even if every participant actually does speak english - might be a chance to witness some really awesome roleplaying; on the other hand, as not everyone's most favourite language is english, it could as well lead to a lot of confusion. Which is awesome as well, but not necessarily for each and every player.

But nonetheless, depeding on your german/english skills it might be more comfortable for you to just stick to english and hope everyone can understand you. If that doesn't work, just try to get a "professional" translator doing the work and roleplaying for you.

Kind regards from Germany,

Rogan

P.S.: The last time I talked to a foreign player was on CoM '06, but instead of speaking english, I adressed him in german. In my opinion, this made his character a lot more interesting, as he had to really think about what to say and it felt all the more like a "clash of cultures" (in a positive way, though).
It was a really great experience. ^^

I must admit a certain fondness for your suggestions regarding the "language barrier"....and "clash of cultures"!

I like the idea of role playing a traveller from very far away with only limited local language skills (not much of a role play stretch for me there!), and the fun that could come out of having someone translate the german "common tongue" sounds pretty appealing to me.

I lived in Berlin for a couple of years in the late 80's, so I think I have an idea of what to expect but what you are saying sounds good to me. Let's hope I can find other players who agree.

Actually I sadly can not offer any substancial help or advice concerning your basic quest for accomodation, apart from expressing my general confidence that something will turn up. One slight possibility that has been used before, albeit not a cheap one either, would be to send some equipment by freight-mail to a local contact, who would be much easier to find since all he'd have to do was transport it to CoM and, of course, help in mailing the stuff back afterwards.

What I can't resist to express is a kind welcome to the show, which in the past has always been quite enriched by players from a different background not only in language but in playing the game. My small unit won immensely thanks to first its belgian and now its durch members, and I remember quite fondly the italian unit of our army, whose priestesses had the habit of popping up on the battlefield and uttering a magical enchantment noone really understood. Your only problem, if it can be called that, might be that people tend to be more reluctant to talk in english when confronted by someone who speaks that language as his mother tongue and in such will immediately notice any mistakes they make.

These ramblings might not have been helpful at all, but still: welcome .

@ aquila: that's a problem you even have to deal with when studying English at the university. One of my lecturers is a native speaker, and as her English obviously is a lot better than the students', it sometimes is hard to find the courage to address her in that language.
Yet I have to say many native speakers make a lot of mistakes, for they don't have to learn their own language the same way we have to. Likewise some german's German is worse than a foreigner's. Just don't be afraid - many mistakes you'll make won't even be noticed.
I think nobody with the ability of thinking would consider you stupid or an idiot when you're not able to speak another language without minor (or even major) mistakes. Especially in a roleplaying event, this even adds to the feeling that all of us are immigrants from different countries. Just remember: nobody's perfect.

... Well, save for me, being the perfect example. I study english and I want to become a teacher, yet my english sucks and I can't get my sentences beyond a certain level of complexity. Really sucks being me

About the IC and OOC language thing:

Most take the switching language like it was done in the real middle ages: "Local language" and "lingua franca". Switching to "denglish" (german english mix) is like using "Sabir" in the 11th century. Sabir was the Travellers and Merchants Language for all coasts of the mediterran sea and a wild mix of italian, maghreb, spanish, portugese and arabic. Pretty much what some old people on Malta speak until today, they just mix Sabir with English... ;o)

I'm currently living in Wales, so I am quite familiar with dealing with bilingual issues on a daily basis, and the discomfort some folks have when speaking something other than their "mother tongue". I'm American but have spent over 12 years living in Europe and I've gotten over the usual Yankee expectation of having people speak english for me. My welsh however is very limited, much as my german and french are. No matter how hard I try I seem to struggle to learn other languages (I cant seem to remember hardly any of the latin I studied in school!) but this makes me respect even more those who learn to speak english, no matter how proficiently.

The mix of cultures at conquest is one of the great appeals. I think it will only help suspend my disbelief even further to be surrounded by other languages. I am also very keen to see how other people larp, since there seems to be some differences in larp culture depending on what country a person is from. The costuming standards in general for example seem better in the UK than the US...and even better in Germany than the UK. I wonder how much plot I can get involved with...but then whatever plot I do get will be all the better for it. I dont intend to take the literacy skill so I'd have to get help with any written plot items anyway.

As for a place to sleep...well I suppose I will play it by ear, just as my character would. Travelling with only what he can carry on his back. Its a shame there isn't an inn for people like me though.